Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Centerpoint improves Gurdon lines

Centerpoint Energy workers were busy this past week finishing a line upgrade for Gurdon, going from cast iron natural gas pipes to plastic pipe and weld steel line.

Phillip Giles, manager for Centerpoint, out of Arkadelphia, said the work on Second Street, North Third, Walnut and parts of Main Street will be the final stage to convert the whole city to a safer way to move natural gas.

"We are going from low pressure with the original cast iron to a pound system, which eliminates water that can get in a low pressure line," he said.

Giles called the action proactive, meaning it is more or less being done to significantly lessen the chances for gas leaks or other problems to crop up in the foreseeable future.

The current project, which he said started on Friday, Aug. 19, should take another three to four weeks to finish. Giles said his crew is replacing 2,500 feet of pipe.

"This old cast iron line has probably been here since Gurdon first got natural gas  back in the 1930s," he said.

Larry Golden, of Caliber Underground Construction out of Arkadelphia, and the Gurdon Water and Sewer Department workers, came together on this project, with the first organization exposing the lines and the city crew on hand to fix any accidents.

A small water leak on North Second and Main Street occurred Tuesday because of the efforts to cut through the asphalt and expose utility lines on the street. It was repaired within a couple of hours.

Giles said, "The city works well with our people on repairs when accidents occur. We are actually finishing a bare steel, cast iron project we started doing by small sections in Gurdon five years ago."

Upon completion of this final section, Giles said Gurdon gas lines will be in excellent shape.